Sweet 16 Fun Facts and more....

This year's sweet 16 has some fresh faces in the field.  If you compare this year's group to last year's things are different. I want to look at the trend of the sweet 16 over the last 10 years.

Duke, Michigan State, Syracuse, Xavier, and Purdue were in the field last year. 

Ohio State, Xavier, West Virginia, Tennessee, Butler, and Washington have all been there within the past 10 years.

Northern Iowa, Kansas State, Cornell, Baylor, and St. Mary's are all new faces.

Who are the best programs in the last ten years?  What I did to answer this question was simple. I gave a point for each team that made the sweet 16.  4 points for making the final 4. 5 points for the runner up and 10 for the champion.  Including all the teams that make the tournament would take too long and really wouldn't change the overall outcome.  The same goes for the field of 32. What people really remember is who made the final four.  And, who made the sweet 16.  Unless you are a fan of a school, your'e not likely to remember that they made the elite 8 three years ago.  (This list includes this year's field of 16. So, teams may move up this list in the next couple of weeks.)

So, whithout further ado, here we go:

1--N Carolina 25pts   This team has won 2 titles and just ended a streak of 3 straight sweet 16 finishes. They didn't even make the tournament this year.

2--Kansas  23 pts.  The second most 16 appearances in the past 10 years with 7. They also had 3 final fours.

3--Duke 20 pts.  How spoiled people get.  Critics have been complaining that Duke has finally made it back to the 16.  They were only gone for 2 years, yielding the most appearances in the past decade with 8. They have 2 final four appearances and one championship.  That championship was 10 years ago and they will drop a ways down this list if they dont win this year.

4--Florida  20pts.  They only have 2 sweet 16 appearances. But, they both were chapmionships. 

5--UConn  17pts.  2 final fours and one championship.

6--Mich State  16pts.  They could really move up this list and be the best team in the decade if they win a title.  There are four teams that made the final 4 so far this decade and Michigan State is one of them.  This is also their 3rd straight trip to the field o f16.

7--UCLA  15pts.  The only school with 3 final four appearances in a row.

8--Maryland 15pts.  It's been 7 years since they made the field of 16.

9--Syracuse  13 pts.  The lowest team on this list with a title.  So, far....

10--Arizona 9pts.   They missed the tourney all together this year.

11--Texas 9pts.  6 out of the past 10 years!! That's impressive.  At one point this year they were a title contender.

12--Illinois 8pts.  It's been 5 years without them.

13--Villanova 7pts.  A final four last year left the early this year.

14--Memphis 7pts.  Rejuvinated lately by going 3 of last 5 years.  They may be no more.

15--Oklahoma 7pts.  4 showings with one final four and 2 coaches.

That's the top 15. And will change after next weekend.  Kentucky has been 5 times this decade without ever making it to the final four.  They look poised this year.

Xavier and Michigan State are the only 2 teams to make it 3 years in a row. 

Michigan State, N Carolina, Kansas, and UCLA have made the final four 3 times.  Duke could join that field this year, while MSU could become the only team with 4.

Louisville, Ohio State, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Indian, George Mason, Oklahoma State, and Marquette have all made the final four in this span.

Pittsburgh and Kentucky have made the sweet 16 five times without going anyfurther. Xavier and Butler have 4, while Gonzaga, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Butler and Washington have 3 providing some of them don't advance this year.

6 out of last 9 that have one the title were in the sweet 16 the year before.  Florida, N Carolina, and Syracuse were the 3 teams that were not there the year before.

Best current coaching job is Oregon with 2 times in the past ten years.

I hope this has been entertaining and knowledgeable for you. :)